<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<title>Losing a Battle That Wasn't His by junipersand</title>
<style type="text/css">

body { background-color: #ffffff; }
.CI {
text-align:center;
margin-top:0px;
margin-bottom:0px;
padding:0px;
}
.center   {text-align: center;}
.cover    {text-align: center;}
.full     {width: 100%; }
.quarter  {width: 25%; }
.smcap    {font-variant: small-caps;}
.u        {text-decoration: underline;}
.bold     {font-weight: bold;}
</style>
</head>
<body>
<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/26400943">Losing a Battle That Wasn't His</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/junipersand/pseuds/junipersand'>junipersand</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>The Other Soul [2]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Minecraft (Video Game), Video Blogging RPF</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Familiar!AU, part 2 of "where loved ones go to die"</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-09-11</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-09-11</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 11:06:11</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Not Rated</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>2,011</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/26400943</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/junipersand/pseuds/junipersand</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Their world wasn't black and white - it was gray. But when half of it was lost, he didn't know if he had been the good one, or the evil one all this time.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>The Other Soul [2]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1914067</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>25</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>411</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Collections:</b></td><td>Completed stories I've read</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Losing a Battle That Wasn't His</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Following the first part of the series, "Where Loved Ones Go To Die", this chapter follows Skeppy realizing his best friend went missing.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Have you seen Bad, Skeppy?”</p>
<p>Skeppy stretched his arms, his joints cracking as he woke with the crack of dawn. It was difficult to be rid of his habits, as he’d stayed with Bad back in the Idots. “No? Why’d you ask?” he slurred. “Didn’t he go back to Idots yesterday?”</p>
<p>Dream’s lip pursed, his expression unreadable, hidden behind the mask. “I don’t think so,” he said skeptically. “Eret was patrolling the borders, and he didn’t report to me about anyone leaving the SMP.”</p>
<p>Rubbing his eyes with his oversized sleeve, Skeppy was half-tempted to invite the man inside his home just so they could sit, but the blond’s tone was serious, his posture unusually tense. His hand rested on the sheath of his weapon, fingers twitching on the handle. Seeing him like this alerted Skeppy, as the topic concerned Bad.</p>
<p>“Maybe he just happened to miss Bad,” he reasoned. “Eret’s only one person, and the SMP is a large place.” He grit his teeth as Dream’s hands began to clench. Skeppy noted that Roberto was gone from the fence post, and the lead nowhere to be seen. “It was night, and Bad wears all black. Look. His horse is gone. He never goes anywhere without Roberto.”</p>
<p>Dream shifted uncomfortably on his feet. He reached into his cloak, avoiding Skeppy’s gaze. It was like he feared his reaction, despite being one of the best fighters in the entire world.</p>
<p>In Skeppy’s eyes, everything happened in slow motion. He saw Dream’s hand close around something in his possession, and pulled it from his inventory. It only took few seconds, but it felt like an eternity, excruciatingly long as he presented the man a piece of leather.</p>
<p>Skeppy chuckled dryly, void of humor. “Ha, ha, Dream,” he muttered. “Are you trying to sacrifice something to the Minecraft Gods?”</p>
<p>The green-eyed elf didn’t laugh. “George found this in the spruce forest.” His tone was grim, expecting the worst-case scenario without any hesitation. “I think you should see it.”</p>
<p>Skeppy stared at him, waiting for the other to call it off as a joke. A prank or a cruel plot or what they will, but the way he stood on his two feet was more than dire; it was enough to raise another war atop of the upcoming one. With trembling hands, he took the leather from Dream’s hands, the familiar shade of caramel shooting ice up his spine.</p>
<p>It didn’t take long for him to realize that this leather was the remains of Bad’s beloved horse: <em>Roberto</em>. Granted, it was Roberto#7 or something similar along the lines, but there were no horses left in L’Manberg. When Spirit was killed, every other one was murdered to prevent anyone from attempting to gift Dream a false hide of his horse. Skeppy wasn’t there in the crusade, but he admitted that it was particularly cruel.</p>
<p>
  <em>Bad is missing.</em>
</p>
<p>There was a silence between the two, the atmosphere heavy with brewing anger and grief. Every one of Skeppy’s movements was accentuated with disbelief and fury, as if he could pull a sword from thin air at this very moment.</p>
<p>“Do you think Tommy and the others have him?”</p>
<p>Dream ignored the murderous intent behind the man’s voice, keeping his own tone collected, but even he was failing at hiding his rage. “It’s a possibility,” he agreed. “Fundy and Niki are familiar about this area. It’s no surprise that they would choose to ambush him in an underdeveloped area. That leather and broken lead is proof of that.”</p>
<p>“I see.”</p>
<p>Skeppy turned uncharacteristically silent, his shoulders sagging as he stared at the piece of leather in his hands. Dream’s not sure if he’s ever seen the man so calm before, especially when facing the news of his best friend’s unforeseen fate.</p>
<p>Then, against Dream’s expectations, Skeppy shoved him aside and bolted out the door. He ran straight towards the borders of L’Manberg, barely stopping to rethink his actions. He had nothing on him, so charging straight into enemy land would mean an instant capture. For once, Dream was thankful that the nation didn’t start chopping heads off just because they were strangers.</p>
<p>“Skeppy!” he shouted, a deep panic grounding his voice. Instincts reacting over reason, he threw a pearl as hard as he can, which landed on the path right before the disarrayed nymph. Dream felt a sensation of pain course through his body as the pearl acted, but he ignored his own discomfort for the sake of his friend. His eyes caught a flash of blue, and he threw himself on the other, tackling him from continuing forward.</p>
<p><em>“DREAM!”</em> Skeppy’s voice cracked, but it wasn’t from shouting. There was nothing but pure fear in his face; the fear of losing a best friend to a war they did not participate. He hissed as Dream had his arm folded behind him, his knee digging into his spine. “Let me go! I have to go save Bad!”</p>
<p>Dream grunted, struggling to keep him under control. Nymphs were usually calm and peaceful, but Skeppy has already proven that he was never like his peers in many aspects. His skill might be second to Dream, but in terms of physical strength, he got the elf beat. But he didn’t need to restrain him. All he needed was for Skeppy to listen to reason.</p>
<p>“Skeppy, I know you’re mad,” he tried. “But charging in there without anything isn’t going to help anyone! What if you get captured too? Or worse? You’re the leader of the Idots, Skeppy. You need to think and take the best course of action.”</p>
<p>“BAD’S IN THERE!” Skeppy screamed. “They could have killed him already. Or worse, giving him a slow and painful death, or, or—using him as leverage. Bad things could be happening to him right now, and I can’t save him—!” He stopped himself as his mind conjured the horrible possibilities that would happen to the other, his mind racing.</p>
<p>The power of friendship may seem feeble, but if it’s put into practical use, it’s quite formidable. Skeppy, with renewed vigor, broke free of Dream’s grasp, kicked him backwards and stumbled forward. Dream lost his balance, grasping at air, until he clutched at the very last second by pouring water beneath him. He was used to falling, and especially his friends pushing him into dangerous places.</p>
<p>He looked around, realizing that he was in a cave. The only way out was steep, and it would take time to build himself up. And by the time he would reach the surface, with Skeppy’s speed, he would have arrived at L’Manberg by now. Why were their nations so close to each other? Just why?</p>
<p>Dream brought cobblestone from his inventory, starting to get himself out, then he heard a screech. It was high-pitched, and it belonged to Skeppy. “Fuck!” he cursed audibly, placing stone as fast as humanely possible. If it wasn’t for his maxed armor and reflexes, he would have died from the height alone. It didn’t help that the cave structure was uneven, evidently caused by conscious players.</p>
<p>But when his hand touched the soft grass, he found out that there was no need for the urgency after all.</p>
<p>Sapnap and George chose this very moment to arrive, and they were both holding the nymph back, restraining one arm each. Even with their combined efforts. Their faces were contorted in exertion, as Skeppy’s strength was nothing to be scoffed at. Skeppy was still going strong, screaming profanities and cursing everyone’s names out—by everyone, Dream means <em>everyone</em> but Badboyhalo—as he flailed around, trying to escape the two’s grips.</p>
<p>“Christ, man!” Sapnap chided, trying to reel Skeppy back to the SMP’s borders. “You need to calm down! You’re going to attract a bunch of zombies and creepers or whatever.”</p>
<p>“DO I LOOK LIKE I FUCKING CARE?! GO TO HELL, SNAPCHAT!”</p>
<p>Sapnap whipped towards him. “What did you just call me—?”</p>
<p>“Guys!” George cut in, waving Dream over. “Stop fighting! Does this look like a good place or time for this? I’d rather much deal with mobs than the furry, to be honest. For all we know, he could be nocturnal.”</p>
<p>Dream brushed dirt off his cloak. “Skeppy,” he repeated sternly to the hysterical man. “I know you’re worried about Bad, but we don’t know the full picture yet. Bad could be safe, and we’re all jumping to conclusions. You need to get yourself together.”</p>
<p>It was a simple sentence, but it seemed to work. Bit by bit, whether if it was running out of drive, energy or hope, he stopped fighting against Sapnap and George. Eventually, he stopped, and stared blankly at Dream’s masked face, his eyes half-lidded as the post-adrenaline drain caught up to his body. George and Sapnap released him, then simultaneously collapsed from exhaustion. Sapnap cursed Skeppy out with curses that had never seen the face of the Earth.</p>
<p>“Are you willing to listen now?” Dream asked, extending a hand to Skeppy.</p>
<p>Skeppy glanced up at him, taking his palm. It was slack, like he’s lost all will to even speak. “Fine,” he rasped, nodding listlessly. “I’ll go back to the SMP.”</p>
<p>If anything, Dream felt like he was kidnapping him back to the SMP. It felt wrong, as he’d singlehandedly destroyed Skeppy’s chances of saving his best friend. Even if it was for everyone’s benefit and Skeppy was acting rashly, the sorrow and grief was real. The longer they waited, the slimmer of Bad’s chances of survival would be.</p>
<p>Dream knew he would someday lose one of his friends to this war. It was only a matter of time – especially with their vicious fights and senseless battles. He just didn’t expect for it to be someone who wasn’t involved in any of it to be their first casualty, not even with his intelligence.</p>
<p>* * *</p>
<p>“That stupid parrot’s been following you around a lot,” Sapnap groused, waving the bird from his face. “Why’d you bring it to the Dream SMP? It’s literally the place where animals go to die. We’re running out of room for graves as well.”</p>
<p>Skeppy glared, but there wasn’t the usual spark in him. He looked tired, as if he hadn’t slept for days, despite being freshly woken from one only hours ago. Kiwi settled on his shoulder, staying perched faithfully and rubbing his cheek on Skeppy’s to try to cheer him up.</p>
<p>“Don’t talk to Kiwi like that.” Skeppy shot a hand up to shield Kiwi from Sapnap. He already knew about Sapnap’s pet genocide tendencies.</p>
<p>Sapnap groaned. “Great. You named it too,” he said. “L’Manberg is going to take any leverage they can against us. Being too attached to your pet isn’t going to help our case.”</p>
<p>Skeppy slammed the table. “Kiwi isn’t my pet!” Sapnap lurched backwards in his seat in surprise, eyebrows raising. “Kiwi’s my familiar! You talk shit about him one more time and I’ll castrate your organs!”</p>
<p>From the other side of the table, Sapnap choked on air. “Fami—<em>what?</em>” he spluttered. “What the hell is that? Is it just another way of saying you’re a simp for your pet?”</p>
<p>“How can you not know! It’s common knowledge!”</p>
<p>“Well, I spent most of my life inside the nether, so excuse me if I’m lacking in some modern slang that’s associated with flying chickens!”</p>
<p>“You know what? I’m sick of you,” Skeppy snarled, abruptly standing to his feet. He pointed an accusatory finger at the pyromaniac, his glare filled with nothing but hatred and irritation. “Bad was right. You are a <em>sick</em> fuck. You singlehandedly killed so many of them, but you don’t even know what you’ve fucking done!”</p>
<p>The blue-eyed nymph reached towards his neck, and snatched a necklace from it, snapping the chain in half. Right before Sapnap, the third commander of the Dream SMP, Skeppy crushed the pendant in front of his eyes, and threw the shards on the table.</p>
<p>“From this day onwards,” he declared, voice strangely low, “the Idots SMP will no longer be associated with the Dream SMP.”</p>
<p> </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Thank you so much for the support in the first installment of the series. I definitely didn't expect it to blow up and receive 15 comments and 100+ kudos overnight- and yes! This will be a full series, so please leave a bookmark and expect more chapters!</p></blockquote></div></div>
</body>
</html>